Universal Studios integrates iPhone/iPod apps with Blu-ray titles

Posted by Dennis Sellers Nov 10, 2009 at 2:20pm

Universal Studios Home Entertainment (USHE) has launched an array of enhanced iPhone and iPod touch-enabled features and social web-based offerings with the release of upcoming titles “Bruno,” “Funny People,” “9,” “American Pie Presents: The Book of Love,” “Public Enemies” and “Inglourious Basterds,” all available this holiday season.

These innovations include the pocket BLU app, which offers iPhone and iPod users touch further enhancements to the Blu-ray experience, and social BLU, which offers Blu-ray users more ways to interact with their Facebook and Twitter networks through an Internet-connected Blu-ray player. Additionally, USHE will unveil an all-new redesign of its BD-Live Center on “Funny People,” which makes the dynamic content on the multimedia portal easier to access, more engaging, and easier to use, according to Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. On future releases, Universal will deliver even more innovative, exciting features based on these platforms, making Blu-ray discs more simple, fun, and sharable than ever before, he adds.

USHE’s pocket BLU app uses the Wi-Fi connection on an iPhone and iPod touch to work with a network-connected Blu-ray player and offers the following advanced features: advanced remote control, access to a video timeline, the ability to unlock a selection of exclusive bonus content with their Blu-ray discs, access to a complete list of pocket BLU-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray, and a pop-up keyboard. With the latter, you can enter data into a Blu-ray player that will facilitate such Blu-ray features as chatting with friends and sending messages. The pocket BLU app is available for free from the Apple App Store.

The “American Pie Presents: The Book of Love” release also will mark the integration of Blu-ray content and social networking applications. This newly developed interactive technology allows users to sign on with their Facebook and Twitter log-in information and enjoy a variety of connected Blu-ray features with their friends. Users can control status updates from their Blu-ray player, the UniversalHiDef.com website, or within pocketBlu.

As part of the newly developed interactive social BLU technology, users can update their Facebook and Twitter profile statuses via BD-Live. With the click of a button, users can rate the movie, send messages and on future releases will be able to share film-related user generated content with their friends via their social networking pages. social BLU opens up an entire world of social networking possibilities.

The newly redesigned Universal BD-Live Center, as seen first on “Funny People” will offer an interactive experience directly from an Internet-connected Blu-ray player. By clicking on “What’s New,” users can check out the latest releases coming to Blu-ray and theaters, along with exciting BD-Live features.

Additionally, when they visit the new “Content Center,” users will find previews, trailers and more. Meanwhile, the previously-launched ticker and video rotation automatically bring updated content directly to the viewer. Login and registration aren’t required unless the user wants to access select community features, so browsing BD-Live is easier than ever, says Kornblau. Best of all, everything is designed for simple, one-click navigation, making BD-Live perfectly optimized for surfing content with a remote control, he adds.

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